The Solid Silver 60s Show heads to Birmingham tonight

The Solid Silver 60s Show will take place at Birmingham Town Hall tonight.

The Solid Silver 60s Show will take place at Birmingham Town Hall tonight.

Now in its 29th year, the show reunites Brian Poole and The Tremeloes and features the unforgettable talents of Chris Farlowe and Chris Montez, all backed by 60s band Vanity Fare.

Wayne Fontana, who was due to appear, has had to pull out of the tour due to ill health.

Blues legend Chris Farlowe was responsible for Handbags and Gladrags and the classic Out Of Time, which was written for him by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones.

Out of Time spent five weeks in the top ten in 1967, but it was nearly never recorded.

“Mick played the song to me on a guitar and it was really rough and ready and I thought ‘I don’t think this is for me, I’m an R&B singer’,” he explains.

“But then he said, ‘wait till you hear it with the orchestra’, and then I really liked it, and the rest is history.”

“It just goes to show that you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” he laughs. From the US and for the second year running, Chris Montez returns to delight the audiences with his hits Let’s Dance and Some Kinda Fun, amongst others. These terrific solo artists will be backed by the ever-reliable Vanity Fare, who had a number of hits themselves with I Live For The Sun, Early In The Morning and the million-selling Hitchin’ a Ride.

“We’re all looking forward to the tour,” says Brian Poole.

“These Solid Silver tours are always nice – in fact this is the sixth I’ve done.”

Brian and The Tremeloes have reunited many times in the past.

“To be honest, I wish I’d stayed with the lads.” he says now of his leaving in 1966.

The 72 year-old is very happy with the rest of the acts on the bill.

“Oh, absolutely,” he enthuses. “They’re all great to work with.”

And despite his age, he enjoys the schedule of the 43 date tour.

“What 70-odd year old wouldn’t give his right arm to be doing what I’m doing?” he adds.